disaster in japan. efforts to control that crippled nuclear power plant have failed. officials admit burying the reactors in cement may be the only option left. as japan remembers the devastating quake and tsunami that hit one week ago today, changing their country forever. and the battle for libya. the u.n. security council gives the okay for international military action against moammar gadhafi's forces. military action against moammar gadhafi's forces. but is it too little, too late? captioning funded by cbs good morning, everybody, and thanks for joining us, i'm betty nguyen. the nuclear crisis in japan moves into its second week. and this morning, the head of

the u.n.'s nuclear energy agency says japan is racing against the clock. here's the latest. engineers hope to reconnect electricity to at least two of the reactors at the fukushima daiichi power plant sometime today. but, it is unclear if any of the cooling systems will work. smoke is rising from reactor number 2, but officials don't know why. fire trucks are now being used to spray water on the plant, and attempts to use helicopters have been discontinued. japanese officials said today they are asking the u.s. government for help. charlie d'agata is in niigata, japan, with more. good morning, charlie. >> reporter: good morning to you, betty. nobody is watching the events unfolding at the nuclear power plant more closely than the people here. many who were evacuated from the region around that plant and wonder if they'll ever be able to go home. fire trucks resumed blasting water onto japan's crippled nuclear power plant as crews raced to restore power to the facility. as early as today, they hope to

feed electricity to at least two of the six overheated reactors, and get crucial water pumps working again. >> if the cooling systems in the reactors and fuel pumps are basically sound, and then the power comes on, then we might look at that moment as the beginning of the end of this crisis. >> reporter: but even if the power starts back up, it's not clear the water pumps will. they may have already suffered too much damage. there are also fears that getting power back online could spark another explosion. smoke billowed again from one reactor today. water in the spent fuel pools is so close to running dry that in one unit, fuel rods are believed to be at least partially exposed and could spew harmful radiation. many of the people taking shelter here come from the danger zone near the nuclear plant. having survived the earthquake and the tsunami, they were ordered to evacuate their homes because of a nuclear threat. akicko lived less than ten miles from the plant. nine months pregnant with a

2-year-old son, she left at the first sign of trouble there. "i didn't think it was safe" she says, "so i decided to leave early." she says she hopes she left in time to save her children. today marks one week since the quake and tsunami threw japan into crisis. this morning, across the country, people paused in silence to honor the victims, to reflect on a disaster that transformed their country, and their lives, forever. there are more than 450,000 refugees from the earthquake and tsunami, another 140,000 evacuees from around the nuclear power plant. now here they've got plenty of food and supplies and water, and critically it's warm. but at other refugee sites, conditions are much, much worse. betty? >> indeed. all right, charlie d'agata joining us live from niigata, japan, thank you. so far, efforts to contain the radiation at the fukushima plant have failed. this morning, japan's nuclear power agency conceded that a chernobyl solution was a

possibility. the chernobyl plant was buried in sand and boric acid and entombed in concrete. the explosions and massive fallout at chernobyl back in 1986, considered the worst nuclear disaster to date. experts say the japanese situation isn't as bad as chernobyl so far. but, warn if japan loses control of the situation, the site will be radio actively hot for thousands of years, and might have to be entombed. americans are scrambling to get out of japan. a flight of u.s. citizens arrived in taiwan yesterday. airports in japan are packed with people trying to get out, fearing the spread of radiation. hundreds of americans are stranded in sendai. charter buses have been sent there to bring them to tokyo. and 20,000 family members of u.s. troops stationed in japan are also being offered evacuation free of charge. as radiation fears spread, president obama is trying to assure the american people. a forecast indicates how weather patterns could disperse the

radiation from japan. while the forecast does not show actual radiation levels, it shows the plume moving to the california coast late today. experts say it will be diluted and worst case scenario, have extremely minor consequences in the u.s. >> we do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the west coast, hawaii, alaska, or u.s. territories in the pacific. that is the judgment of our nuclear regulatory commission, and many other experts. >> the president also said health officials do not recommend that people in the u.s. take precautionary measures like potassium iodide pills. now to the crisis in libya. this morning, united nations forces, led by the u.s., are gearing up to take military action in libya. last night, the u.n. security council approved the establishment of a no-fly zone, and other military action to protect libyan civilians from attacks by government forces. susan mcginnis is live in washington. she joins us now.

susan, give us the details on this u.n. resolution. >> good morning, betty. after weeks of deliberating over what to do about gadhafi and libya, the u.n. finally picked up speed just last night, and it's still not clear, though, when washington will pull the trigger. the resolution authorizes, quote, all necessary measures to protect libya's citizens from moammar gadhafi's forces, including a no-fly zone, and military air strikes. >> the violence must stop. the killing must stop. and the people of libya must be protected. >> reporter: any military action is supposed to involve ships and aircraft from several european nations, as well as at least two arab countries. but u.s. forces would likely take a lead role. it's unclear when any action would come. french and british officials said their forces could be mobilized immediately. but u.s. authorities caution, it will probably be this weekend before any action is taken.

the other big question, does this all come too late? rebel leaders have been calling for international help for weeks, and have suffered a string of losses to the bigger and better equipped government forces. gadhafi loyalists now control all of western libya, and gadhafi is promising to retake cities in the east now held by rebels. even benghazi, the rebel stronghold, is in trouble. government ground forces are now just 80 miles away, after gaining more ground overnight. last night, gadhafi called in to state tv, promising to retake the port city that has become the opposition's capital with no mercy. if the world is crazy, he warned, then we will be crazy, too. now the u.n. resolution specifically bans a ground offensive in libya. officials in washington say u.s. action will probably involve jet fighters, bombers, and surveillance aircraft. betty? >> all right. susan mcginnis in washington. susan, thank you. nasa reached a new milestone

in space exploration overnight. for the first time, a spacecraft in orbit is around the planet mercury. the robotic probe is called messenger. it completed its looping, firing its main engines, its slow down and swing into orbit around the rrel. today wall street tries to end the week on a high note. on thursday stocks rebounded in a big way. the dow jumped 161 points, while the nasdaq gained 19. the federal reserve could ease its grip on some banks as early as today, the fed will

allow some financial institutions to run their operations independent of restrictions imposed during the financial crisis. only banks that pass a fresh round of stress tests will be able to boost dividend payouts and buy back stocks. jpmorgan, american express and wells fargo to be among the first to get the green light. well if you want the most reliable car on the market, buy american. lincoln holds the top spot in the annual j.d. power survey of long-term vehicle quality. lexus, jaguar, porsche and toyota filled out the top five. the survey found new electronic features usually cause the most problems. all the news that's fit to print is now going to cost you online. "the new york times" will begin charging for unlimited access to its website, and mobile services, sometime this month. the fees will run from $15 to $35 a month, depending on what level of access you want. print subscribers will still not be charged. and finally, a victory of

sorts for the usa. americans now buy more wine each year than the french. u.s. wine sales grew last year to nearly 330 million cases compared to 321 million cases for france. on a per capita basis, though, the french are still way ahead. they drink 12 gallons of wine a year. americans, just 2 1/2 gallons. and betty, either way, someone likes their wine. >> i'll drink to that. >> thank you. >> ashley, it's friday, isn't it? have a good one. just ahead on the "morning news," how a designer drug ended up at a teen party, killing one, and sending several others to the hospital. plus a shoot-out at a convenience store caught on security camera. this is the "cbs morning news." dog: bacon? gotta get that bacon! smokey bacon, crispy bacon, tasty bacon! where is it? where is the bacon? tv newscaster: bacon popular, story at 11. dog: yummy. crunchy. bacon. bacon. bacon.

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all you expect from the number-one recommended detergent by dermatologists. all free clear is free of dyes and perfumes. and has powerful stainlifters to help get your whole wash clean. it's all good. to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. motrin pm. it started as an attempted armed robbery last week at a convenience store near nashville but newly released security

video shows it quickly escalated into a shoot-out. when the store manager pulled his own gun. shots were fired on both sides, but it appears no one was hurt. and the robbers fled. doctors say four elementary school children rushed to a washington, d.c. hospital after swallowing cocaine are fine except for sore throats. a fifth child who recently had surgery was also examined by doctors yesterday, as a precaution. school officials say the cocaine was brought to class by another child, and parents are shocked. >> they're small children. can't believe it. just terrible. >> because my kids are young, they're only 3 and 5. so it's terrifying. >> police say a fourth grader brought the cocaine to school, and they're trying to determine how the child got the drug. in minnesota, one teenager has died, two are in critical condition, and eight other young people are hospitalized this morning after overdosing on a so-called designer drug.

as manuel gallegus reports, they bought the substance legally on the internet. >> reporter: an emergency 911 call of someone not breathing came after midnight from this house in blaine, minnesota. inside, police say at least 11 teens and young adults had snorted or drank a powdered drug called 2 c-e, purchased on the internet. >> hallucinating, seemed to be out of it. you could definitely tell that they were intoxicated on something. some of them were in respiratory distress. >> reporter: police confiscated the drug, which is technically not illegal, and sold by the gram online. >> it's marketed as kind of a designer or synthetic ecstasy, or a hallucinogenic like party drug. >> reporter: a woman outside the house didn't want to talk to the media. and neither did two others who were seen leaving. police say designer internet drugs are an alarming trend. >> it may be considered legal. it's by no means safe.

>> reporter: investigators are now trying to determine exactly what was in that powder. manuel gallegus, cbs news. straight ahead your friday morning weather. and in sports, the road to the final four heats up with buzzer beaters, and dramatic upsets. depression is a serious medical condition that can take so much out of you. i feel like i have to wind myself up just to get out of bed. then...well, i have to keep winding myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, the trouble concentrating, the lack of energy. [ male announcer ] if depression is taking so much out of you, ask your doctor about pristiq®. pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain, serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults.

pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. for me, pristiq is a key in helping to treat my depression. ask your doctor about pristiq. here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. new york, windy, 73.

miami, sunny, 80 degrees. chicago, partly cloudy, 48. dallas, also partly cloudy, 84. los angeles, a sunny 70 degrees. time now for a check of the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows clouds from the southwest all the way to the northeast. later today the ohio river valley sees a few showers. the west coast has another large storm coming onshore, and unseasonably warm days along the east coast. in sports, break out the brackets, march madness is living up to its name. with less than five on the clock, 13th seeded morehead takes the lead with a dramatic three pointer. number four louisville has a chance to win at the buzzer, but it is blocked. morehead stuns the cardinals 62-61. in the southeast, it was a battle under the boards between butler and old dominion. with three seconds left and the score tied a scramble under the basket and the bulldogs get the lay-in as time runs out. butler outlasts old dominion,

60-58. in the second half, ucla was up by 23 points over michigan state. but the spartans make an incredible comeback, turning a blowout into a real nail biter. the bruins hang on to beat michigan state 78-76. and you can see more second round coverage beginning at noon eastern right here on cbs. when we return, another look at this morning's top stories. and americans remember their lost loved ones one week after the quake in japan. [ female announcer ] all you need for sensitive skin. all you expect from the number-one recommended detergent by dermatologists. all free clear is free of dyes and perfumes. and has powerful stainlifters to help get your whole wash clean. it's all good. ♪ [ male announcer ] what are you gonna miss when you have an allergy attack? benadryl® is more effective than claritin® at relieving your worst symptoms

and works when you need it most. benadryl®. you can't pause life. that means dire consequences, possible for japan... and beyond. the latest on the fight to prevent a meltdown. the potential danger is already drifting across the pacific, and landing here in the bay area. what health experts say about our exposure to radiation. and developing news from libya this morning: the bold move by moammar qaddafi, after the

west made plans to enforce a no- fly zone. join us for cbs 5 early edition ... beginning at 4:30. ,,,, on the "cbs morning news" here's a look at today's weather. it will feel like spring for much of the country. there might be some passing showers in the midwest with cooler temperatures in the northern plains. look for mountain snow and coastal rain showers across the west coast.

here's another look at this morning's top stories. the u.n. security council proved a no-fly zone and all necessary measures in libya to stop moammar gadhafi. it's unclear when the military action would begin. and fire trucks are spraying water on that crippled nuclear power plant in japan. but officials say if they cannot gain control soon, their only option may be to bury the plant in sand and concrete. as the tragedy continues to unfold in japan this morning, japanese-americans are grieving for lost loved ones, and fearing the worst for others who are still missing. as sandra hughes reports from los angeles, they're gathering to help one another cope. >> reporter: a collective pain ripped through little tokyo in los angeles last week. with each candle lit at this memorial there is hope to extinguish the images of disaster. >> feel really powerless over this whole situation. >> reporter: this is one of only three official japan towns in the u.s. >> there are people with family

members there, or friends and colleagues and in some instances, you know, there are people trying to ascertain whether people are safe or not. >> reporter: nancy finally connected with her family in japan. >> i was able to get a hold of them. but they're really needing of water and food right now. but they're struggling every day. >> reporter: american charities have raised $64 million for japan so far. most of it going to the red cross. organizers of this event want people to know, more will be needed. >> as we stand united as a community of people who care, let our deeds to support disaster relief effort speak loudly. >> reporter: in washington, d.c., president obama delivered a condolence card to the japanese embassy from all americans. >> but i think it is at this time like this that we really feel that we are not alone. >> reporter: but far from seeing the end of this country's

crisis. sandra hughes, cbs news, los angeles. this morning on "the early show," the latest on the nuclear crisis in japan. i'm betty nguyen. this is the "cbs morning news." ,

look at that. in russia, the military used artillery to start an avalanche in order to clear a snowbound mountain pass. it all went according to plan, except for a few people who got a little too close. luckily no one was hurt. back to japan now, one week after the earthquake and tsunami, the humanitarian crisis continues to grow. the official death toll has reached nearly 5,700, with almost 10,000 still missing. and more than a half million are homeless or were forced to evacuate. lucy craft has more. >> reporter: he's shouting, a tsunami is coming. and running for safety to a nearby building.

as more dramatic videos like this emerge, the shock of what's happened continues to flood the japanese psyche. people haunted by scenes of crushing water and death. made more insecure by a lack of information from their government. they say they received no official word on what they should do if radiation starts to move their way. in tokyo, more people are wearing face masks, usually worn to guard against germs. and despite no proof that it will help, this woman tells us she's wearing it for protection from radiation. tokyo stores have long lines and some empty shelves. much of it blamed on hoarding. "i'm planning to buy more than i should" this shopper says, staples like noodles, batteries and toilet paper are running out. rolling outages, darkened intersections play havoc with atms. people are jamming airports and long lines have begun at passport offices.

this official says more than twice the normal number of people are here. meanwhile, those who remain homeless in the countryside are beginning to worry about a dwindling number of supplies. 1.6 million japanese still don't have access to water. what we're lacking most is water and vegetables, he says. we need vitamin c. going to the bathroom is a major problem, too. portable toilets, clothing and kerosene heaters are on their way if they can make it over the heavily damaged roads. search and rescue teams like this one from los angeles keep looking. but so far they're not finding the survivors they hoped for. on thursday, two ports and a train line reopened in northeastern japan, relieving some of the bottlenecks that have prevented supplies from reaching hundreds of thousands of evacuees. it's hoped that from now on the relief effort can begin in earnest. lucy craft, cbs news, tokyo. coming up a little bit later on "the early show," the latest on the battle to stop nuclear

meltdown in japan. plus, what to do as the radiation fallout heads toward the u.s. also a live report from the pentagon on the possible military action in libya. and the erica hill experiment. she heads to the health food store in search of superfoods. that's the "cbs morning news" for this friday. thanks for watching, everybody, i'm betty nguyen. have a great weekend. ,,,,,,